Steel Sentinels
The Steel Sentinels are a Space Marine Chapter of unknown gene seed stock, though their tactics lend themselves to siege warfare, drawing much of their combat doctrines and strategies from the writings of Rogal Dorn and Rouboute Guilliman. Following the return of Roboute Guillimen, the Steel Sentinels have learned that they may be Successors of the Scythes of the Emperor, though they have found only a few references connecting them to former Wardens of Sotha. History Founding The Steel Sentinels claim to have been founded by a decree by the High Lords to watch over the Wreath Sub-Sector, a region plagued by regular Ork invasions, renegade activity and xenos plots. Historically the region has been defended by the local Astra Militarum and Segmentum Fleets assigned to the area, occasional intervention by the Steel Sentinels having been documented throughout the millennia. New evidence however points to the Chapter being founded as Successors of the Scythes of the Emperor Chapter, the two Chapters sharing a number of similar features such as the use of the term Warden for Captain, though the Scythes ceased the practice some time in the last few millennia, the colours black and yellow which feature prominently in the Scythes livery appears throughout the Sentinels weapons and armour, as well as the close relationship with the Deathwatch. Dispersal According to Chapter records, the Steel Sentinels' fleet was split up soon after it reached full strength, reinforcing a number of key strategic points, raiding renegade worlds, destroying defences, liberating the enslaved populations then departing once the Astra Militarum arrive to occupy the planet. Some fleets struck out at xenos held space, spending long periods away from Imperial borders and supplies, when they return, these Astartes are reputed to be quite terse and short tempered when dealing with humans, preferring to commune with the tech priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus when requesting repairs. Working in relative isolation from one another, the individual Steel Sentinels vessels have developed unique relationships with the sub-sector's population, with some Wardens earning a reputation as heroes, while others are seen as taskmasters. Dark Imperium With the emergence of the Cicatrix Maledictum and the division of the Imperium by the Warp Storm, the Wreath Sub-Sector was overwhelmed by the fluctuating energies, also cutting the Steel Sentinels Chapter in half. Those forces embroiled in conflicts within the sector were unable to get in contact with those that had been mustering on the edge of the Realm of Ultramar. As news of the Terran Crusade reached Chapter Master Mahar, the Lord of Steel travelled to meet the Primarch Roboute Guilliman as he was beginning his Indominatus Crusade. As part of a number of assembled Chapter Masters, Mahar was told of the new Primaris Marines and what they meant for the Imperium. Though reluctant, Mahar agreed to take a number of these new Astartes as well as the knowledge of how to create more, as he realised he would need more strength to breach the storm and find the rest of the Chapter or rebuild it anew with these new techniques. These new recruits were of Guilliman's own gene seed, and were drawn from across the Realms of Ultramar. Those that were trapped in Imperium Nihilus are attempting to regroup, warzones are being abandoned as the storms overtake entire systems. Worlds long held as bastions of the Steel Sentinels are overrun by daemons, renegades, traitors and xenos as the fleets of the Chapter rally around their Wardens. Combat Doctrines The Steel Sentinels follow the Codex Astartes in much of their campaigns, referring to its wisdom before beginning any engagement. Indeed, careful planning and preparation are the hallmarks of the Steel Sentinels, gathering as much information and data as possible through their Scout Company, occasionally making local contacts and placing agents on planets under their watch. Adherence to Steel The practice known as Adherence, a common phrase in the Steel Sentinels refers both to rigidly following through a plan as well as, somewhat counter-intuitively, the exact opposite and producing a spontaneous answer to whatever tactical problem has arisen in the battle. How this is carried out in practice is a chapter that plans extensively for every eventuality with the knowledge that that is simply not enough. Often the allegory of a smith striking a steel blade is used, as the enemy batters the Chapter, like the metal being pounded, sparks will leap out, each one having the potential to create a great fire. Sergeants are often those that have demonstrated this, being able to hold to the plans of their superiors whilst also being capable of producing brilliant strategies in the midst of battle. This philosophy came as a reaction to the implementation of the Codex Astartes, which limited the numbers of Astartes that could be effectively fielded in a warzone, including officers. Orders then, had to be simple, with as much room for improvisation as possible, seizing opportunities as they emerge rather than being debated or passed down a long chain of individuals. Long Term Monitoring An aspect of the Steel Sentinels recruitment, failed aspirant serfs who show particular promise but may not have been suitable for modification due to genetic incompatibility, might be offered a chance to join recruitment missions, establishing small bases of operation on worlds in the Wreath sub-sector that the Steel Sentinels protect. These outposts usually operate in secret without the knowledge of the planetary governor and range from single operatives to cells of a dozen. Usually these outposts are equipped with some method of communication with any nearby Steel Sentinels force, tasked with relying information on the planet and its security. If for any reason these operatives flag a potential threat on the planet the fleet might send scouts to link up with the cell, sharing information and using the base as a safe house to begin investigating any threat. The cells would additionally keep track of hive gangs and any potential recruits on the planet, relying the information to the fleet in constant reports that the fleet files away for review. Tempering the Steel Another phrase used by the Steel Sentinels referring to their use of rolling bombardment as their forces advance, using large scale artillery when possible to cover their landings and assaults. Through careful planning, use of auspexes and orbital surveys the advancing lines of the Steel Sentinels follow just moments after the enemy has been struck by the Chapter's heavy weaponry. The term comes from a comment made by an Ultramarine Captain reviewing an engagement the Steel Sentinels took part in, seeing the firing of such devastating weaponry so close to your own forces as reckless, saying; "You lot will be burned by your own fire.", to which an unknown Steel Sentinel replied; "How else do you expect to temper steel?" Collaboration with other Imperial forces When fighting alongside other Imperial forces, the Steel Sentinels would appear like any other Chapter, with only the occasional eccentricity that would set them apart from other Astartes. Astra Militarum Commanders praise the Sentinels, many of whom claim that they were treated as equals in a battlefield where they had committed the most forces despite the veneration usually expected by other Space Marines, as well as an appreciation of a number of the Marines' willingness to send forces specifically to prevent major losses of life of Imperial servants, an aspect mainly lauded by the line officers. Adeptus Mechanicus forces praise the 'machine-like' precision of operations when planned in conjunction with the Sentinels, some of which have even learned the binaric cant of the Mechanicus to better communicate with their troops. Other Space Marine forces find the Steel Sentinels to be easy to work alongside, especially those that adhere closely to the Codex Astartes such as the Ultramarines, which the Steel Sentinels will also comply with fully when such forces are their allies, refraining from any divergent tactics. Collaboration with the Inquisition, while not common, would usually be on amicable terms, many of the commanders and veterans in the Chapter were once part of the Deathwatch and so have contacts within the Ordo Xenos to pass on reports or warn of impending threats. One particular Inquisitor, known as Marcos the Merciful, has a good relationship with the Chapter, with his network of spies passing on information to the long term monitoring cells that the Chapter might have interest in. Recruitment The Steel Sentinels are devoted to keeping themselves at full strength, with fleets spending years at high anchor over worlds they guard, harvesting as many potential aspirants as possible from the hives and feudal worlds of the Wreath Sub-sectors. This has allowed them to keep around one thousand Astartes fairly regularly, with the recent call to muster this number is now a set target rather than an optimum goal. Recruitment worlds Tuberosum - an agri-world plagued by various warp beasts and monsters that prey on the native human population, defended by a lone Knight Warden. The planet's system was engulfed in a warp storm and suffered a number of daemonic incursions that the Knight was desperately fighting when a Steel Sentinel's vessel arrived in the system to lend aid, hoping that defeating the forces of Chaos the storm might abate. Together the Astartes, the Knight and the local militia, defeated the legions of warp spawn on the planet. Since then the planet has regularly sent its best to become aspirants. Cask - a feral world, destroyed by a falling Necron Tomb ship that collided with the planet's moon, a large number of the inhabitants were saved and taken aboard the Steel Sentinels Strike Cruiser that pursued the Necron vessel. The majority of the humans, descendants of colonists that set out from Terra millennia ago, were resettled on Tuberosum with the remainder staying with the Astartes to serve their saviours or become aspirants. Benthos - due to the size of the Steel Sentinels' flagship, it supports a sizable human population that have lived and died performing the same tasks their ancestors did. Some are given the opportunity to become Astartes, though they are always transferred to other vessels within the fleet immediately to begin their testing, severing all ties with their past lives. Neophyte Selection When selecting potential recruits from either proven population of a world or even amongst the descendents of the Chapter's own serfs, the Steel Sentinels Chapter employs a number of challenges to select who amongst them will become Astartes. Proof of Strength The first challenge given to would-be-recruits is usually given at the place of recruitment, on world or within the confines of the vessel the recruits have been chosen from. Consisting of challenges set by the recruiter, wrestling, climbing obstacles and other physical challenges, the Proof of Strength forms part of many world's coming of age rituals, with the young men all being tested in a festival like environment, with the best being selected to be part of the Chapter, their remaining family members being elevated in society. On Agri-Worlds the challenges might include carrying out intensive farming, hauling bales of hay across fields or wrestling an adolescent Grox into submission. On Hive-Worlds, the recruits could be from any section of society, though mostly members of underhive gangs pass the tests which could involve delving deep into the hive and retrieving some object placed by the recruiters such as a flag or beacon. Once the challenges are completed the best are selected and taken to be further tested. Proof of Will The second challenge involves a form of interrogation and indoctrination, the recruiters test the candidates' minds to see if they have the drive to complete the tests. Often confusing and tortuous methods are employed to leave the candidate questioning whether the test is still going on or whether they have failed and are being punished. Usually at this point candidates will be screened for psychic potential, with those exhibiting evidence of unsanctioned mutations also being routed out. Sometimes the candidates might be placed in scenarios they believe to be real when really they are controlled experiments, such as being placed in a transport that they are told is returning them to their world when in actually the vessel never leaves the hangar bay and a fake enemy boarding action is simulated with the recruits having to navigate their way through enemy patrols to reach the bridge of the vessel or defuse a "bomb" set to destroy the whole ship. Proof of Faith Proving that they have the strength of character to complete the training, a rigorous mind wiping takes place, removing any remaining attachments and feelings of loyalty to anything but the Emperor and the Chapter. This challenge often includes hours of meditation where recruits are extensively reviewed for signs of the influence of the Ruinous Powers, the candidates being bombarded with questions about their lives, strange occurrences, repressed memories or dreams they tried to forget. The aim of this task is to prove that the recruit is not an infiltrator or some brainwashed saboteur that is awaiting some secret command in order to deal a devastating blow to the Chapter down the line. No evidence exists of this ever occurring however, indeed the only reference to why such questions are asked of the candidate appear to have been down to a Captain that thought of the idea himself as a thought experiment during a period of sleeplessness, with the Chapter's natural paranoia keeping up this tradition. Proof of Honour The final test before the recruit can receive their first augmentation surgery is left up to the recruiter, usually a Veteran tied to the Xth Company, once they say the recruit has passed their Proof of Honour then that is good enough for the rest of the Chapter and they may proceed with the process of transforming them into an Astartes. Each test is different for each candidate, some are simply watched for a period of time, their personality being reviewed and evaluated as they undertake mundane training regimes or are subject to hours of prayer and meditation, and others still are presented with challenges specific to them such as being placed in a space hulk with no equipment, told that a vessel will collect them from a certain point on the hulk within a day or else they would be left their. Those that pass the tests are taken on as Neophytes and granted augmentations to become Astartes, where the next stages of their training can take place. Genes seed stability The gene seed sample that the Steel Sentinels send to the Magos Biologis for monitoring is regarded as quite stable, with only a few minor flaws that are easily managed by the Chapter's Apothecaries. Of these flaws, the most common is an overactive Catalepsean Node, the implant charged with allowing Astartes to stay awake for long periods of time. The primary symptom of this flaw is insomnia, if left untreated for a long period an Astartes might suffer from paranoia or obsessive behaviour. In many cases the Chapter's Apothecaries have placed those suffering the effects into medically induced comas. While this is regarded as a minor issue, it can lead to disruption especially among commanding officers who remain awake for days and days as they oversee the battlefield. Some within the Chapter embrace this trait, with a the tally of hours on sentry duty without rest seen as a badge of honour. Reiver Squads The first of the Neophytes and Scouts that were given the Primaris techniques in the Steel Sentinels appeared at first to be responding well to the organs, until it was discovered that the Magnificat, or the Amplifier, caused the effects of the overactive Catalepsean Node common to the Chapter to become exaggerated. Many of these new Primaris Marines simply cannot sleep naturally, and need to be placed in medically induced comas to receive any kind of mental rest. These afflicted Astartes were formed into Reiver Squads, becoming a psychological warfare unit, dropping behind enemy lines and reaping terror and disruption among the enemy lines. Tactics and Wargear The Steel Sentinels utilise a variety of tactics in their wars against the enemies of the Emperor, showing a willingness to experiment with different doctrines of the Codex Astartes. They also keep a vast array of weaponry in their armouries, with a dutiful core of Techmarines tending to the wondrous artifices they hold within their charge. The Hammer and Anvil Two common tactics used by the Steel Sentinels are the Hammer and the Anvil, sometimes joined together as one to pulverise the foe. The Hammer consists of the use of Drop Pod Assault comprised of Tactical Marines and Dreadnoughts equipped with weapons capable of disrupting the foe and allowing the Astartes to entrench themselves in what was once the enemy position. The primary aim of this tactic is an overwhelming show of force intended to break moral, seize assets on the ground and deliver maximum damage to the enemy lines to allow allied forces to advance. The Anvil involves deploying Astartes on the ground and transporting them to the battlefield in Rhinos and Razorbacks and establishing an entrenched position to establish artillery such as Thunderfire Cannons, Rapier Mortar Batteries and Vindicator Siege Tanks, as well as allowing the Chapter's Techmarines a chance to quickly fortify the area against possible enemy counter-attack. Once the lines have been drawn, the Steel Sentinels advance, using their vehicles as mobile barricades and cover against enemy attack as they rush forward seizing ground under a rain of shells from their own lines. Together the Hammer and Anvil are a devastating combination, usually involving two or more Strike Cruisers working in tandem, with a veteran Warden co-coordinating in orbit and a second taking to the field. Such a show of force would mainly be used when the Steel Sentinels are alone in their theatre of war, where the risk of allies being hit by friendly fire is nil. Divergence A tactic reserved for some of the most reviled of enemies; Traitor Marines. These tactics consist of diverging from the Codex Astartes as much as possible under the assumption that either the Traitors once used it themselves or are veterans of the Long War against the Imperium and thus have survived long enough for a Codex Compliant Chapter to have fought them at least once before in the ten thousand years since the Heresy. Thus new tactics must be thought up to counter the renegades, sometimes in the very midst of battle. This might take the form of extensive use of the teleportation facilities aboard the fleet, sending lone Terminator Veterans among the enemy at random for a few minutes at a time before the suit's armour automatically recalls it, with the aim of sowing dismay and confusion as contradictory information diverts forces from key locations. Or in the formation of killteams in the style of the Deathwatch tasked with assassinating the enemy commander or placing melta charges in key locations before the full frontal attack. Often however the particular situation will call for different tactics, and if the commander of the Steel Sentinels' forces decides that the Codex Astartes or other military writings is not applicable then it is up to them to draw up their own plan. The Protocol While not a codified tactic, the Protocol refers to a scorched earth policy of destroying any established fortifications or bases of operation to prevent them being seized by the enemy. It is standard practice to use a portion of the company's explosives to rig the command centre to explode should it fall to enemy invaders. Agents on recruitment worlds and space stations will usually have elaborate traps and defences surrounding their secret cache of communication equipment, all set to explode should any but a member of the Steel Sentinels and their servants (or to the surprise of even the Techmarines of the Chapter, an Inquisitor) attempt to activate it. Sheathed in Steel A common practice among the Astartes of the Steel Sentinels is the near constant tinkering and reinforcement of their armour, adding extra plating, redundant battery packs and slots to hold additional ammunition being common features on their worn plate. Seldom are these additions aesthetically pleasing, with only Chapter Veterans having sufficient skill and craftsmanship to enhance their armours looks at the same time as its practicality. This is believed to foster competitive rivalry between brother Astartes, as each is presented with blank plate armour, which depending on where the fleet the Scout was recently gifted the Black Carapace could range from top of the line plate from a Forgeworld or scavenged pieces from various marks the Chapter has salvaged over the millennia. This also extends to the Chapter's vehicles which will feature extra plating over much of its surface, sometimes adding half again the weight of the vehicle. Chapter Monastery and Fleet Benthos As a fleet based Chapter, the Steel Sentinels' flagship Benthos, serves as the Chapter's Monastery. A Grand Cruiser class vessel of immense size, seized from Traitor forces during the Heresy War, where it was impounded by the Ultramarines Legion. Thousands of years later it has found its way into the service of the Imperium once again as the flagship of the Steel Sentinels. The Benthos ''also serves as the Chapter's main armoury, holding the blessed relics and armour the Chapter has maintained over the centuries, with an abundance of Cataphractii Pattern Terminator armour being held there. ''Mask The Vanguard Strike Cruiser Mask ''serves as the Second Company Command ship, with Brother-Warden Danos directing the trailing fleet the cruiser retains. The ''Mask ''served as one of the most public faces of the Chapter, with Danos having a full company able to respond to numerous threats across the Sub-Sector of Wreath throughout the last century, earning a reputation as a saviour as it comes to aid other Imperial forces. ''Anaxagoras Flagship of the 3rd Company Fleet, commanded by Brother Warden Krantor. It is regarded as a particularly ugly vessel, with patch jobs and layers of additional armour added to its frame over the years making it difficult to identify what the original class the vessel even was. It is seldom seen in Imperial space, instead spending much of its time out on crusade. Tarrasch's Folly Another Strike Cruiser, the Tarrasch's Folly serves as the flagship of the Fourth Company fleet, commanded by Brother-Warden Tarrin. Like the Mask, the Folly mainly serves as a response vessel, coming to the aid of Imperial worlds. Gift of Asperity Flagship of the 5th Company, a Strike Cruiser tasked primarily with overseeing the establishment of long term monitoring stations, escort duties as well keeping vigil over systems under threat of rebellious activity. An Affront to Reason One of the most recent addition to the Steel Sentinels fleet, An Affront to Reason was created by the Mezoa Forgeworld and gifted to the Chapter, though the Tech-Priestess that delivered the vessel unexpectedly claimed it was fulfilling a build order that had been in place for well over a thousand years. The vessel was given to the newly established XI Company under the command of Brother-Warden Adrastis. Chapter Organisation Company Structure Unlike most Codex ''Compliant Chapters, the Steel Sentinels do not form Reserve Companies, preferring instead to have all companies be comprised of a mix of Tactical, Devastator and Assault units to allow for greater flexibility in the theatre of war. Additionally with the recent addition of Primaris Marines into the Chapter the limit on the number of companies has been lifted, with an XIth Company comprised solely of Primaris Marines being added to the Chapter. The Chapter uses few markers to note which Company an individual member might belong to, usually such markings are covered in extra panelling or worn away during battle. A few common features include the symbol of the wreath, for the Wreath Sub-Sector usually worn on the armour of veterans who have defended the region from a particular threat as a reward. A steel coloured shoulder pad is common on those Astartes that monitor certain areas whereas a black shoulder pad implies the Company the Space Marine belongs to is more likely to be crusading against the enemies of the Imperium rather than waiting for them to come to them. Captains in the Chapter are referred to as Wardens, though usually only by those within the Chapter and the term Captain is not seen as insulting if used by anyone. The Chapter Master is referred to as the High Warden, though often this name is only used during rites and rituals conducting new members into the Chapter or on the eve of battle. Librarians are referred to as Archivists within the Steel Sentinels, this is mainly a reference to their duties as keepers of the Chapter's history. Reclusiarch The Steel Sentinels keep to the original teachings of the Emperor of Mankind, having an extensive archive of historical writings from Remembrancers that sought to bring the Imperial Truth to the Galaxy, the Chapter has seen to the maintaining of this resource with the Librarius being tasked with its protection as thousands of serfs and cherubs scurry about the vaults of the ''Benthos delivering ancient scrolls and tomes to those that request them. This is not to say there is no faith among the Steel Sentinels, indeed they hold the Emperor in the highest regard and seek to serve His Imperium in the duty they have been tasked. Chapter serfs are allowed practice whatever version of the Imperial Cult they wish, many finding security in the teachings of the Ecclesiarchy rather than the cold logic of the Chapter Cult, which can barely be called such. The Chaplains in the Chapter mainly serve as trusted advisors to Wardens, as well as leaders on the frontline. Referring to the original Order of Observance issued by Malcador the Sigillite, the Chapter's Chaplains keep a close watch over the Librarians of the Chapter, monitoring for signs of corruption. Librarius The Steel Sentinels include a Librarium within most of their vessels, referring to them as Archivists, the Benthos in particular having an extensive chamber devoted to training those aspirants with psychic potential covered in hexagramic wards and extensive tomes on the sanctioned arts of the Librarian. The Chapter also has expertise in the divination, geomancy and technomancy disciplines, with most aspirants showing talent for one of these three schools. The Master of Records, Brother-Archivist Galleus, is a powerful geomancer, able to shake apart the foundations of enemy fortifications and carry entire buildings across the battlefield to disgorge the entrenched marines held within. More than their role in combat, the Archivists of the Chapter have the important role of maintaining the history of the Steel Sentinels within their extensive archives, the nexus of which is held deep within the Benthos. Here the information gathered from Imperial listening posts, intercepted messages and the long term cells monitoring worlds in the Sub-Sector are gathered and ordered to be reviewed by the Chapter's command structure. Primaris Marines With the introduction of the Primaris Marines into the Chapter, the decision of how exactly these new Astartes should be introduced into the Steel Sentinels was debated thoroughly. Initially the suggestion was to reform those companies lost in the the other side of the storm, presuming they were destroyed, but Mahar silenced this idea after he announced the Chapter's intent to find the others. An attempt was made to integrate the new members into those squads that had lost members, tensions began to emerge during training however, some of the veteran Steel Sentinels resented that those that were replacing their lost brothers had not gone through the same trials and rites as they had. Not wishing to see his Chapter torn apart, Mahar created a new company, the XI, comprised solely of these new Primaris. The XI, having far fewer members than the other companies, structured itself into a small strike force based off tactics they had learned before joining the Chapter. They are led by Brother-Warden Adrastis. Notable Battles The Bastards' Take 805.M39' Tracking a band of Chaos Space Marines wearing the colours of the Sons of Horus Legion, the Steel Sentinels uncover a feud between the Black Legion and a group calling themselves the Moravec Covenant, a splinter faction of the Warmaster's Legion who refuse to bow to Abbadon's rule. After establishing a blockade of the Macestus system, the Steel Sentinels manage to corner the feuding Traitorous Marines on the world of Mecestus III where they laid siege to the already weakened forces. Torn between a choice between fully engaging one enemy and allowing another to escape the planet, it was decided that the forces engaging the Covenant would disengage and engage the Black Legion, seen as the greater threat to the system and Sub-Sector. As the Covenant found themselves gaining ground they were hit by mines and automated defense turrets, eventually breaking through to a landing site the Sentinels had been using, their landing craft coming under fire from flakk turrets emplaced around the area. Escaping to low orbit aboard their battered fleet, the Covenant attempted to run the blockade, heading towards a less stable Mandeville point, activating their warp engines amidst a hail of weapons fire. The Steel Sentinels on the planet remained behind to engage the Black Legion, ending in a battle over the same landing site as both sides sought to prevent the other from receiving much needed supplies. ''WAAAGH! of Da' Lukky Boyz ''807.M40 A band of Orks, led by the prophecies of a strange blue Weirdboy known as Lukky Jak, direct their lumbering voidcraft towards the Wreath Sub-Sector. In an effort to redirect the WAAAGH! towards the Maelstrom, a series of planets are intentionally fortified despite having no strategic value, going off the belief that the Orks will be drawn towards wherever planets would present the best fight. The Steel Sentinels, who spearhead the operation, suffer great loses as worlds that were only partially prepared for attack are struck by the xenos horde. The plan only partially works, as the Orks go dormant for a period, gathering their strength as more are drawn towards the bizarre philosophies of luck that their prophets spout. ''The Defence of Tuberosum ''845.M40 A daemonic incursion onto an Imperial agri-world known as Tuberosum is heralded by a warp storm, preventing the Steel Sentinels fleet from leaving the system. The planet's defence forces are quickly overwhelmed, with only a lone Knight Warden, known by locals as the Prince, still standing to take on the daemonic hordes. A mass drop pod assault rains down on the planet from the Strike Cruiser Mask, creating islands of sanity in a sea of chaos, allowing rag tag groups of the world's survivors being escorted by the Prince to safety. As the Astartes pushed back against the daemons, the Knight emerged, trampling over the warp entities allowing the Sentinels to follow in its wake. Eventually the Sentinels were able to get the Knight to the warp gate that was allowing the daemons to emerge, which it crushed with its massive fist. ''The Clash over the Nightforge ''250.M41 ''Siege of Matters Not ''576.M41 A monitoring station cell reports the presence of Renegade Marines known as the Rust Mongrels on a forgeworld, seeking to loot the planet's riches. Surprising the renegades with unorthodox tactics, the Steel Sentinels surrounded the roaming band of warriors who found the hab-blocks they intended to shelter in devoid of any people, the population having been evacuated to shelters the Steel Sentinels had ordered constructed decades before. Bombarding the enemy, the battle ended in a chase through the close quarters of the streets and ruins of the world's prime hive city. ''The False Light ''985.M41 The Steel Sentinels Vessel Mask, encounters a strange phenomenon that appeared to mimic the Astonomican in realspace for a brief moment, visible only to those vessels in a few lightyears around the source, a planet known as Cask, surveyed in the final days of the Great Crusade. There the Chapter discovered a lost colony of humans being set upon by Necrons whose ship had crashed into the planet's largest moon, dooming the fragile world. Clashing with the xenos, with the help of the Explorator fleets of Forgeworld Tarkus and the Achromus 13th Battalion, a large portion of the human population of the system is evacuated. The origins of the strange light is never uncovered. The Lies of Gakris ''999.M41 ' When an emergency beacon from a long term monitoring cell is activated by a squad of Deathwatch fighting treasure seeking Chaos Space Marines of the Moravec Covanent on the planet of Perros Majoris, its signal is relayed to the astropath network and passed on to the Steel Sentinels. The Third and Fourth Company respond, arriving in the system to find a retreating coalition of inquisitorial forces evacuating the Gakris system as a rogue Adeptus Mechanicus and traitor forces grapple for control over the system. As an area under the protection of the Sentinels, a mass counter attack is launched, with Brother-Wardens Krantor and Tarrin leading the assault. ''Securing Port Ramium The first strike into the Gakris system, after some disagreement over the priority of their forces, the two Wardens agreed to secure the space port and the vaults used to store weapon caches during the Scouring. Tarrin launched a textbook assault on the port, establishing a bulwark against the roaming Hellbrutes that stalk the ruins surrounding the port. The Defector A member of the Achromus 13th Regiment who claims to have evidence of unsanctioned experimentation being performed on members of his battalion, gets in contact with a long term monitoring cells who negotiate an attempted extraction from the moon of Lorros. As the aquila lander carrying the defectors approached the Steel Sentinels makeshift landing zone, the shuttle was shot down in a no-man's-land between the Adeptus Mechanicus of Forgeworld Tarkus and the Steel Sentinels, as the survivors struggled to escape the marching lines of skitarii and machine augmented tech-priests, a force lead by Brother-Archivist Galleus attempted a extraction. At the last moment as the data-cache the defectors held was just about to be retrieved, a data-smith and his Kastelan escorts seized it, preventing the evidence of their experiments escaping the moon. All contact is severed with the rogue Forgeworld, as the Steel Sentinels prepared to open up a second front. The Broken Vault The Moravec Covenant begin to breach the vaults of Peros Minor, Brother-Warden Krantor launches a spearhead assault on the traitors. Though he nearly decapitated the enemy commander, the forces of Chaos managed to claim a number of cursed artefacts from the vaults before making their escape. The Prince's Castle Dropping a series of heavy landers onto the world of Peros Minor, the Steel Sentinels once again attempted to establish a presence on the world seeking to gain access to the ancient vaults. As the bastion and landing pads was set up, the Prince of Tuberosum, the Freeblade Knight keeping overwatch as Brother-Wardens Krantor and Tarrin united their forces to secure a beachhead when great warp rifts opened up, the radical Inquisitor Cogliostro, an ally of Tarkus invoked profane rites, summoning forth a number of Rubric Marines of the Thousand Sons Legion whilst at the same time the vault tunnels opened, spilling out the forces of the Moravec Covenant. Caught between two traitor forces, the Steel Sentinels dug in, if the enemy were to take the strong point, then they would die. Standing their ground beneath the shadow of a Knight Warden, the Astartes cut down the traitors, though at a heavy cost, as the Knight's reactor overloaded, jettisoning the young pilot out the top where Brother-Warden Krantor managed to shield the youth from the worst of the blast, the shockwave overloading his armour's machine spirit, locking his joints around the human. Brother-Warden Tarrin declared victory atop a pile of the fallen, the enemy having been cut down nearly to a man. The vaults lay empty as no side could now access its riches. Battle of Malakoft Tower The Steel Sentinels that had secured Port Ramium were in the process of constructing a communications tower to act as a relay network for their forces in the system should their vessels in orbit be disrupted. In a daring move, the Achromus 13th launched an attack on the partially assembled tower, surrounding the entrenched Astartes whilst assassins infiltrated the building intending to take out the psyker Galleus who was using his powers to move buildings to create the tower. Despite devastating loses on both sides, Galleus was stabbed by an assassin's blade, his last efforts cocooning himself in a protective layer of earth as the techmarine Pescios ordered an evacuation from the site. The Gathered Storm For more on this battle, see here. As the forces clashed over Gakris, the Fall of Cadia and the coming of the 13th Black Crusade unleashed the Cicatrix Maledictum upon the Galaxy, dividing the mustering forces of the Steel Sentinels near the borders of Ultramar and those within the Wreath Sector. As the great storm engulfed the entire region, Inquisitor Cogliostro and Tech-Priest Dominus Logos made overtures to the Steel Sentinels, offering to meet to discuss a ceasefire on the only location on the planet of Peros Minor that seemed to be resisting the effects of the storm. Tarrin, Krantor, Galleus and Pescios landed on the planet with a retinue of Cataphratii Terminators to meet with Cogliostro, Logos, the Commanders of the Achromus 13th and their personal guards. When they arrived however, a Dreadclaw Drop Pod containing the champions of the Moravec Covenant landed nearby, an obelisk, half buried in the swamp activating at the approach of the Chaos Space Marines, the xenos warding device shifting the tides of the Warp around the area, at once the psykers within each group realised the potential of the artefact in allowing them to escape the system. As the forces begin advance, the Moravec gained communion with the Chaos God Khorne, who sent them a Bloodthirster Champion. At the sight of this abomination, Cogliostro voxed to the Steel Sentinels to put aside their difference until the daemon was slain, to which the Astartes agreed, seeing the obvious threat it posed. Together the two forces wore the beast down with gunfire, the might of the Imperium coming together despite their divisions. When the monster seemed weak however, the Inquisitor betrayed the Steel Sentinels, charging them, Krantor and the Inquisitor becoming locked in a duel as the humans and Astartes fought. The daemon was drawn to the fight, it's great axe eager to join the slaughter, but as it loomed over the divided servants of the Emperor, Brother-Warden Tarrin lept forward and slew the beast, driving his relic blade down its throat. With that victory, Krantor and his retinue overwhelmed Cogliostro, the Inquisitor being snatched from the Steel Sentinel's grasp by the hand of his own daemonic allies. As Logos finished electrocuting the Moravec champions and the Achromus 13th fled from the Bloodthrister, the Steel Sentinels were free to activate the device and reconnect with their fleet elements and establish a route to reach a Mandeville Point before the storm completely overwhelmed the system. Fate of Konor 999.M41 The Steel Sentinels participated in the Fate of Konor Campaign as they received their consignment of Primaris Marines. The forces were led by Chapter Master Mahar, usually being assigned tasks with little opportunity for glory such as garrisoning orbital stations and protecting minor strategic assests. ''Holding the line at Nathamus '' The Steel Sentinels were assigned to defend one of the large crawlers that held a vast quantity of food supplies for the Astra Militarum which came under attack by a hoard of plague infested Poxwalkers alongside their Death Guard slave drivers, with those traitors came the ranks of the Emperor's Children as well as renegade Astartes in a mix of armours from across the millennia led by some of the Thousand Sons Legion. Despite having a highly entrenched position, the Traitors managed to surround the Steel Sentinels, their long time ally of the Freeblade Knight, the Prince of Tuberosum charged the spearhead forces of the Traitors, hoping to blunt their attack so the Astartes could pick off the remaining foes. Unfortunately, the sorcerers of the Traitors were able to enhance the protective fields of their dreadnoughts and the Knight was only able to smash some of the lesser warp spawn before being surrounded. As the main force of the Traitors swarmed around the Knight, who unleashed one last flurry of blows that crippled but did not end an enemy walker the pilot grew desperate and began overloading his reactor. After receiving hundreds of strikes from gene-enhanced super soldiers, blows that would have leveled buildings by Traitor dreadnoughts and even the generals of the enemy forces striking the Knight with their warp touched weapons the warning runes in the cockpit foretold imminent destruction. With a final act of defiance, as a warped spawn ripped open the Knight's roof access exposing the pilot to the enemy, the Prince detonated, incinerating a great swath of the Traitors. When the dust settled, the Steel Sentinels stood over a blackened crater, their enemies having been decimated or destroyed entirely. With their force blunted, the Traitors retreated as what few leaders remained seeing only folly in attempting to push past the already entrenched Astartes, with the Poxwalkers advancing on regardless, the Traitors used the opportunity to escape whilst the Steel Sentinels had to cut through the walking corpses ''The Subjugation of Grahl 999.M41 '' With the Indominatus Crusade declared and half the Chapter cut off from the other, Chapter Master Mahar scoured the archives for a suitable location to begin an operation to recover the rest of his Battle-Brothers trapped in what was becoming known as Imperium Nihilus. As his Chapter was bolstered by the inclusion of the new Primaris Marines along with the new technologies they brought with them from Mars, Mahar began to look for ancient references to bulwarks long abandoned in the early days of the Age of Imperium. After much searching, he found what he was looking for, the system of Grahl lying just on the edge of the Cicatrix Maledictum's ''influence. Within the archives he found reference to a great black and grey tower on a world called Kablaska, this would be where he would establish a refuge for expeditions launched into the Great Rift to guide the rest of his Chapter back to him. Arriving in the system, the Steel Sentinels found the worlds to be eerily quiet, the nearby rift no doubt the nearby Warp Storms were disrupting communications. Tethering his fleet in low orbit of the world of Kablaska, Mahar began the fortification of the world and it's great tower called the Iron Tower of Klask, bearing marks of the Iron Warriors Legion. ''The Parade of Heroes For more on this battle, see here. The Steel Sentinels are invited to the world of Xontal, a frozen mining colony, by the local planetary governor and PDF forces, though instead of being shown immediately to the central command the planet's leaders conduct a huge parade in honour of the Angels of Death, claiming it was to boost morale among the civilian population that while remaining loyal, deserved some hope in these dark days. Polumetis, Warden of the Fifth Company agreed to the parade in exchange for deploying a garrison on the icy world, the route planned brought them through the largest populated area where the people of Xontal could wave at them as they passed through the main road. At first the parade went as planned, though the bewildered population seemed to be uninformed of the event and were herded around, with the Astartes noticing the same groups of people that were at the start of the parade being ferried on to later in the route, giving the illusion of more people being present than there actually were. As the parade reached a dilapidated region of the mining city, cultists burst out from ruins, surrounding the Astartes, as they encircled the Space Marines a Trygon burst forth from the ice, spilling out a swarm of Termagants. As the cultist drew closer it became clear they were hybrid genestealers, with a broodlord leading them. The Astartes assembled a fortified position, surrounding themselves with their Rhinos, Razorbacks and a Dreadnought that charged the Trygon beast, beating it into submission whilst the squads opened fire on the charging ranks of cultists and Lictors that had burst out of the snow. The Dead and the Damned A garrison on Outer Sha, another of the Grahl systems mining worlds, is assaulted by the forces of Chaos, unleashing an army of the dead that shambled forward at the head of the host. Despite the intervention of the Grey Knights Third Brotherhood , the Eleventh Company of the Steel Sentinels were able to only thin the ranks of the dead before their position became untenable and they fell back to their second line of defence. Eventually the site was retaken, though not before extensive firebombing of the area. No Chaos Space Marine bodies were among the dead, but a great number of the local population had been turned into animated corpses that needed to be burned before their corruption could spread further. Notable Member Brother-Lord Mahar Dolsts The Chapter Master of the Steel Sentinels, Dolst was the Warden of the Fourth Company, the icon of the green wreath which adorns their company banner featured on his custom terminator plate. Attached to his armour he wears a banner gifted to him by the Mechanicus for the defence of a sacred site of theirs. He wields a pair of master-crafted lightning claws, one with a chainfist attachment, the other with a boltgun mounted in the wrist. Brother-Warden Danos Warden of the Second Company, Danos has a good relationship with the other Imperial factions within the Wreath Sub-Sector, particularly the tech-priests of forgeworld Tarkus, whom he has fought alongside personally on numerous occasions. His artificer armour comes equipped with a custom build powerfist with two energy prongs able to extend from the knuckles to deliver an extra level of armour penetration beyond that of a normal fist. Brother-Warden Krantor ''' Warden of the Third Company, Krantor has gained a reputation as a cruel man willing to enact total war over a planet, demanding that planetary governors and PDF Commanders follow all his orders, that they commit themselves wholly to the war effort, those that resist will find themselves reconsidering their opinion on the front lines. A student of history, Krantor regularly employs tactics developed during the Age of Terra by warlords long dead and seldom checks the ''Codex Astartes, ''believing that adherence to a single text would leave the Chapter vulnerable. He wears a set of Cataphractti Terminator Armour, a large two handed blade and a relic volkite weapon from the Great Crusade. '''Brother-Warden Tarrin Warden of the Fourth Company, Tarrin was elevated to the position following the ascension of Mahar to Chapter Master. He is known to follow closely to the tenants of the Codex Astartes, as well as his adoption of technologies considered "new" by the rest of the Chapter such as grav weaponry and Centurion Warsuits. Along with his Errant pattern armour, Tarrin goes to war armed with a large blade of blue energy capable of slicing through the toughest armour, his enhanced servos allowing him to swing the oversized weapon with ease, with that he carries a combi-grav boltgun. Brother-Warden Polumetis As Warden of the Fifth Company, Polumetis was tasked with management of a number of logistical elements in certain systems under occupation by the Steel Sentinels, improving defences and establishing conscription on worlds without local militia forces, though he himself much prefers the building of infrastructure, roads, bridges and administrative buildings, taking great pleasure in personally crafting small devices such as clocks or automata to include in such constructions. Since the start of the Indominatus Crusade, Polumetis has had little time to devote himself to such works and instead now leads his Company into battle aboard the Gift of Asperity. ''He wields a large Thunder Hammer, but he maintains his most powerful tool is his vox piece, which lets him coordinated his forces on the field of battle. '''Brother-Warden Adrastis' The Warden of the Eleventh Company, Adrastis is the first Primaris Marine Warden of the Chapter, representing the interests of those new marines that have joined the Chapter. He leads his company with Protis and Acristus, twin Lieutenants that take their duties very seriously, though they are known for their practical jokes. He is equipped with the newest armour and weapons, a set of Gravis Armour he took with him on his journey to the Steel Sentinels. Brother-Smith Pescios, Master of the Forge The principle Techmarine among the Steel Sentinels, Pescios is a master of the arcane arts of the Mechanicus, learning secret techniques on the maintaining of relics and wargear long fallen out of common usage by other Chapters. Pescios wades into combat with a full servo-harness along with his servitor assistants so that he may tend to the needs of the various machine spirits and ancient dreadnoughts deployed under his supervision. Brother-Archivist Galleus, Master of Records Galleus is a powerful psyker, able to create earthquakes and levitate entire hav-blocks, he is also able to assess a location's foundations simply by concentrating on it knowing the best places to place a fortification with the sturdiest bedrock. Along with that he serves as the primary recordkeeper for the Chapter, controlling the flow of information to the Command structure, of which he forms an advisory part to. Brother-Archivist Antiquin A psyker adept at divination, Antiquin was joined to the Second Company during the False Light incident, where the veteran saved a village of humans on the planet Cask from being taken by a Necron force, where he was captured by the xenos and dragged back to their ship. It was discovered afterwards that many potential aspirants could be found among the survivors of the attack, a number of which had latent psychic abilities. Brother-Lieutenant Jaegas Once a sergeant of a Tactical Marine squad, Jaegas earned a reputation in the Chapter for his luck after his fight with a Harlequin Troupe Leader, who lashed out at him with a myriad of weapons and complex maneuvers, only for the Eldar to inadvertently impale itself on Jaegas' boltgun's custom bayonet. Later, Jaegas rushed another group of xenos, only for his plasma pistol to overheat, melting through his armour in a burst of energy, the wound would have proved fatal had the Sergeant not packed a small pack of playing cards on his belt that the plasma spent a few precious moments cooking through allowing him to throw off the damaged armour and allow his weapon to cool down. Jaegas began reading the dogma of the Cult Mechanicus, believing his luck to have been down to his equipment and his suit's Machine Spirit working in tandem with him. His faith was put to the test when he stood between his Warden and a Patriarch of a Genestealer Cult, the monster cutting him down with its massive claws, tearing away his legs and most of his left arm. He was rebuilt however, using secret techniques held in the archives of the Benthos, reviving him with a fusion of arcane machinery and regrown flesh. For his bravery he was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant, he now wields a Thunder Hammer that has been melded with his new arm along with his trusty Plasma Pistol. Squad Marius Gaining a reputation as tenacious survivors, Squad Marius was briefly lost during a pacification of a rebelious planet that had fallen under the sway of the Ruinous Powers, being cut off from the rest of the company for over a year as the conflict evolved into a void war in the space above the world. Squad Marius, thought lost as they were trapped on a planet of heretics and traitors instead were found to have created makeshift fortifications throughout the underhive of the capital, corrodinating with the company once the ship-to-ship combat had ended to take the governer's palace. When they reunited with their Battle-Brothers, Squad Marius were covered in scavanged equipment, repairing their armour on the fly as they moved about the hive city, resorting to tactics they had learned in the 10th Company. 'Hazard Squad ' A Tactical Squad of some note within the Chapter, known for their willingness to be dropped right into the enemy lines, taking much enjoyment out of being the first into the fray. Deathwatch Membership The Steel Sentinels have a particular hatred for xenos, contending with everything from a number of minor Ork WAAAGH!, hidden Tyranid Hive Ships adrift in space, raids by Eldar and even incursions into Imperial space by a scouting Cadre of the Tau Empire. As such they have a vested interest in monitoring xenos activity in the Imperium, sending as many members to the Deathwatch as possible, with the intent being that they would return with the skills and techniques they learn from the alien hunters to spread to the the Chapter, with the current Chapter Master and Warden of the Second Company both being former members of the Deathwatch. Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding Category:Unknown Geneseed Category:Brady26